Friday, November 28, 2008

Malaysian GLC's Snake & Ladder

Che Khaleb or Amokh for Petronas?Heavens forbid, but the market talks.

Ismee Ismail (with songkok), the group managing director and chief executive of Tabung Haji, is tipped to leave for TNB while Che Khalib, the current Tenaga boss, is said to be eying a Petronas job.

Like I said, it's market talk. We've also heard that Amokh or Azman Mokhtar, the Khazanah boss himself, is keen on Hassan Merican's job. Never mind if Hassan's shoes may be many sizes too large, even for both of them combined!

I won't rule out anything, especially after learning the other day that Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan had proposed to the NSTP Board to bring in Kamal Khalid, the PM's 4th Floor chief operative, as the new CEO! And when the Board turned this down, Kali, who is the outgoing NSTP deputy chairman and editorial advisor, had then proposed that a position of Deputy CEO be created for the PM's special officer! I'm not sure if Kamal even knew that his name had been dropped like that.

Syed Faisal Albar, Kali's trusted friend, left NSTP to head Pos Malaysia. Syed Faisal's right hand man, Jezilee, is leaving his COO post at NSTP for the equivalent in Pos Malaysia. A couple of other top execs from NSTP are expected to leave and join Syed Faisal at Pos Malaysia, too, leaving Anthony Bujang, the new NSTP chief executive, a big hole to fill.

Kamal Khalid may still find an executive's position in Media Prima (the international side, I heard). Another 4th Floor op, Zaki Zahid (pic), is expected to head for MRCB.

If this was a game of chess, someone's moving around his pieces in a desperate attempt to save the old King's reign. Perhaps Nor Mohamed Yakcop, the MoF ll, can shed some light on these moves, starting with his friend's attempt to put Pak Lah's chief press attache as the NSTP boss.

Ali Baba and his 40 thieves dividing the loot before the new man moves in with his 40 thieves? These people treats these GLCs like their private companies to do as they like. This is like gang rape. After one party has finished, another one starts. And the victim? It is the rakyat.

hmm.Khailb is leaving a TNB which he messed up with losses in the billions next year is heading for petronas to mess yet another cash cow. Khalib is a 4th rate ceo who makes bad decisions. One of them is to sell TNB's coal interest in kalimantan for peanuts saying it wasn't their line of work and now are buying coal from the same place for 10 times the price. The imbecile had their own coal to mine now buys it off someone else. BODOH PUNYA CEO. Beruk pun boleh jadi CEO macam ini.

not surprising news...when black snakes moan...they will not hesitate to swallow even more than their greedy stomach could digest...ohh Khazanah...what a disappointment...too far from what they claimed to be...such a shame for an organization entrusted with policing GLCs and nation building but in reality working towards destruction...May God Bless their lost souls...

If he chooses or allows the wrong people to lead the Khazanah, the GLCs and trust agencies he's doom.

If Khazanah and trust agencies like PNB, Tabung Haji and Felda fell into the wrongs hands or are robbed by the corporate raiders, Mohd Najib will be damned and will be branded traitor to his late father's legacy.

But not all the people you mentioned are bad. Some are world class except that being young they are a bit brash -- sombong.

I had crossed swords with few of such people. They have to be put in their places. Some survived others failed miserably.

These motherduckers think the country belongs to them. These motherduckers think they are god's gifts to plum jobs. They treat top posts like musical chairs. The same people being rotated for these jobs. This incestuous relationship has only served to bastardise these companies and stunted their growh. The end result is obvious. Just look at the NST. From the bluest of blue chips, it has been reduced to a penny stock, or laughing stock. Shorn of good talents due to the rape and sodomy suffered at the hands of A. Kadir Jasin, the Adolf Hitler of NST, the NST is now a pale shadow of its former self. Kadir set the tone for the beginning of the end of a 200 year giant, putting his cronies in plum positions. Good people like Kee Thuan Chye and Rehman Rashid were removed. It was cronyism at the expense of good governance. Another bastard by the name of Abdullah Ahmad (lover of Tengku Pushy, or Pussy, whatever) did the same thing after Kadir was sacked. Abdullah's unceremonious and brutal sacking did not change things. Kali followed the same pattern, albeit with a bit more class, bringing in another bastard by the name of Brendan Pereira (or Pariah). And, the rest, as bastard Americans say, is history. By the way, I am filing my comment from Tanjong Rambutan Pub where you get the best beer.

are these guys qualified for the jobs? well this is Malaysia, qualification doesn't matter. Important is who you know and at times what race you belong to. The best man may not get the job most the time in this country.

Remember Kerismuddin wanted a Malay for the MAS job...lucky he didn't get his way. and a malay who gets his job cos of his qualification will not be recognised cos people think of his race. What a dilemma. It is time the Malays loose this attitude that they are weak an they need things handed down to them cos of their race. They can compete with anyone...just look at the success stories around, Hassan Merican for one

Anyone of the above is definitely a snake fall for Petronas and Malaysians. Sigh...can't they leave the good guys alone. Why fix something that is not broken, especially when Petronas is doing well under the present management? Time like this, I wish I have another TDM who will not allow politicians to touch Petronas.

All of them are snakes. This is an irresponsible move that couldn't care less of what will happen to the nation in future. Wonder how this people ended up in that position and it is about time to be blasted in Parliament.As far as I am concern they can be Melayu, if they are no good, they are just useless. These goons are all without track record and credibility apart from their connections.Enough is enough, hopefully some Parliamentarians will raise the issue as the post they are holding is very important, it is an issue of the element of national power that decides the direction and future of this nation.GLCs???!!! created for people connected to make money. All bulls....!!!You and me just gigit jari..F#%?.

would somebody have the guts to stop the corporate crap? Petronas is the only Malaysian company right now that has international credibility. Even then it has its own share of little Napoleon Bonarpartes....

Now you want Che Khaleb who has the cheek to ask for pay raise when the Malaysian consumer was suffering from increased electric tariff to be CEO of Petronas?

The price of petrol may have gone down at the pump but not electricity....

The rest I would not even want to comment as it makes me sick in the pit of my stomach.

Non of these people have the merit to be there . let Najib start with a professional approach have a selection board get an internatinal head hunter and advertise the requirement in New York ,London ,Paris and Tokyo get the best from anywhere in the world like Temasek did.Most impotant no more MOF 2.

CK(che Khalib)as he is known in TNB is not an appropriate person to be attached with Petronas.Having worked with one of top 5 water-construction company, I have had an experience dealing with him when he was the CEO of SAJ(sykt air johor).can assure you this...this CK can't be trusted!Surprisingly how the Gov. appointed him as the TNB's CEO, without checking and scrutinize his background and the way he works previously. He is not popular and not well receive by fellow staff in TNB,SAJ or KUB!

For quite some time, Petronas is still having a tough time to look for a replacement for Tan Sri Hassan.Salute you Tan Sri.

Hey Rocky, pat wahid has left....is she joining syed faisal, what about fat wahab...is he too joining pos? I am sure circulation head and audit head will not go, heard they are connected to media prima (90sen company now) bosses. Why then do you think shareholders are selling off their shares from these GLCs...TMI, TM, Telekom, NSTP, Media, MRCB.... all at shithole prices. Hope if you take over NSTP, you will consider someone with passion and guts in the circulation dept and audit dept to turn around.

rocky , under the media prima group - they made money ; why not? its a monopolised business . like astro... the real issue now is the media is no longer influential. BN or Umno cannot rely on MPB Tv for propoganda. Gone are the days ... Najib has a job to do .. kick out the mamak FM2

are you crazy, che khalid goes to petronas. I know him very well since he is PLUS finance manager. He is lucky because mokhzani mahathir bring his CV to his daddy. Mahathir appoint him to be CEO of KUB and he fails!!!!

Salam Bro, actually Kadir Jasin is right in that finally it is up to Najib to decide the suitability of the appointment once he is finally in the driving seat. This merry go round will fall apart once Najib puts his plans in place(I am sure Najib knows what needs to be done) it seems to me that the powers that be is trying to hold on to any floating debris of the sinking ship used to be called Abdullah.

As for Petronas's Hassan Merican, I hope he can still be around to nurture talents within Petronas itself to replace him. The oil business needs unique skills and certainly Khalib+Azman Mokhtar oil experience combined is not enough to qualify them to even tie Hassan Merican's shoe lace even.

By the way, I think Khalib should just retire gracefully after TNB he has done enough to show that he has somehow reached the pinnacle of his incompetence. Wasn't he the guy who said that TNB loss in an Indonesian venture of what RM200 million is nothing.BTW I know what you are talking about Saudara Courage and da Real Deal. More should be said about Khalib just to ensure that he CANNOT snake his way into Petronas or any other GLCs for that matter.

Yes, there are non-Malays who are capable doing these jobs. But to say these Bumis are incompetent is an outrageous accusation. In my opinion, Azman Mokhtar is a good manager. You can go to Khazanah's website and review his annual GLC Transformation Programme progress review.

While there are some misses, our GLCs are moving the right way. These GLCs were a mess before this. None of them were competing abroad before this. Now they are starting to make forays into other markets (like CIMB, Maybank, TMI). Like any other late starters, they are struggling. But they have gone past the biggest hurdle, which is to have overseas operation.

Furthermore, I know from a very reliable source that, predictably, government intervention in Khazanah is massive. These managers are not allowed to do as how they like, which is to run the GLCs as a proper commercial entity. So, it is not a fair game to blame the GLCs when they are not performing like their peers. Before we start comparing GLCs with other commercial entities, we as Malaysians need to accept that events like TNB raising electricity tariff and Maybank buying an Indonesian bank at 4.6 times book value do happen at commercially driven entities. We pay managers to manage, and we should let them do just that.

...u said great qualifications, background and experience for top jobs??...yeah yeah...are u too blind to see that most of the destructions in this world are caused by those so called "great qualifications, background and experience" u know why? without a clear conscience, all that is just as destructive as being ignorance...if your job is something to do with nation building and policing others, all the qualifications in the world WILL NOT do it if u r simply blurr about what is right and wrong...A GOOD MAN DOES NOTHING? couldnt agree more...

Harro Kak Long! It will be a long short move for NST to buy back MM from the Kali Gang. Kali screwed NSTP completely n Umno is very angry with this matherfcuker who would sell even his wife for a penny. The present Malay senior editors in NSTP did not help Umno either cos they were well rewarded by Kali do his bidding. Umno wants Najib to cleanse NSTP n Media Prima of Kali's apple polishers. Its better for Kamal Khalid n Zaki Mamak to join Scomi instead of coming to Umno-linked/owned companies. Kali, Hisham Aun, Syed Nazri, Kamrul Idris start packing your bag n leave. Don't worry the 3Ks - Kamal Badawi, Khairy n Kali will take care of you jokers who are a disgrace to the Malay race n Umno. Thank God that Syed Faisal n Jazilee have left. Wahab HR is the remaining member of the Kali Gang waiting to be sacked for giving false information to Umno general assembly about the status of Malays in NST (not NSTP)! Those unhappy are free to join the Star, Sun, Nanyang, Sin Chew, Nanban n Nesan or even Singapore Straits Times. Kali will be more than happy to ask Brendan Pariah to recommend them.

...just like not everyone mentioned in this article or in khazanah are "bad" - not all views in the blog come from those men who do nothing...u know not everyone enjoy the spotlight and not every book couldnt be judged by its cover...just because the content of the book is not being exposed doesnt mean that the book was not thoroughly read from cover to cover...

Petronas requires a CEO who knows the oil business. Whether he is Malay or non-Malay, the first qualification should be that he or she has significant experience in the oil business.<<

Agreed.

Let's dissect the reaction to the PKNS thingy - they wanted the lady disqualified not because of lack of experience, lack of number of years in service for PKNS or lack of paper qualification, simply silap "bangsa".

WTF? World class management? I say advertise the job for the best brains in the business. UMNO cronies (over-qualified in all the wrong categories) please keep out !

Well lets hear it again loud & clear. The first qualification for these posts is for someone with a 'bin' to his name. Not even son/of .So for all of you who still want to ask..hmmm..I will not say "eat shit & die" ... itu kurang sopan..Malays are supposed to remain..sopan ..sabar..even when other people are kurang ajar..betul ka?

Che Khalib is not kelantanese. He was from Bayan Lepas, Penang.A student of PFS.

As for who after Hassan to lead Petronas, my opinion is it has to be someone within petronas. Hassan has many capable lieutenant like Wan Zul, Annuar Ahmad, or Rahim Hashim. Even some of the second tier leaders are more capable than many of the top outsiders.

Petronas is one Malaysian company that I know subscribe to continuous transformation. It allows the younger generation staffs(35-40 yrs old) to be involved in shaping the future of the company.

Hello Everybody ....When you first started working (in whatever position) very very long time ago, you have heard many people telling you ::: It's not what you know, it's whom you know. So this is it OK ... Wali Kota

To say that those without oil qualification/experience can't fill up Hassan Merican's job is too emotional. Before coming to Petronas, Hassan was in audit firm. To say that he has done very well is subjective. It's not difficult for Petronas to make profit, just increase the pumping of oil. A few hundred million ringgit blunder doesn't throw up in the books of cash rich Petronas.It's nicely hidden there!! Petronas also spent lavishly mostly thru contractors and consultants, some of them owned by ex top men of Petronas. Furthermore Hassan has been too long there. Do you want another man to stay for 22 years in the same job? Nobody is indispensable and new man to provide new ideas and approaches is needed.

In the 60's we were all malaysians with a single goal in comradeship. In the 70's it the rot started and in the 80's & 90's under Mahathirthai all went to the dogs. Today, all hopes lost and one-way ticket to other prosperous countries only.

We must all agree that with the revenue that Petronas can generate, the post is very political indeed; hence when they are numerous universities, even the VC post has kulification as a criterion, what more the CEO of this giant? Well, for the older generation, you can say, we are'caught' but I am very sure, this will inspire the younger and more competitive non-Bumis to find their future in other parts of the world. Just look around the rest of the world, say 20 years ago where were we and where do we now!To me, there is only one problem: the mind-set of the majority of the BUMI society; fearing their own shadows!!

"MY GOVERNMENT HAS FORMALLY ENDORSED THE FUNCTION AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE I.H.I. ALLIANCE..... TO UNDERLINE MALAYSIA’S COMMITMENT TO THIS INITIATIVE, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT MY GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE 15 MILLION RINGGIT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS AS FUNDING SUPPORT TO KICK-OFF THE I.H.I. ALLIANCE...".

RM 15 Million for IHI Alliance. Ok. Who is IHI Alliance? What are they doing? What are they accomplishment so far? How many country, except Malaysia joined this body so far? Syok-sendiri kot... cause NO COUNTRY has willing to joint IHI Alliance, much alone give a single cent for this organization? Asked them (www.ihialliance.org) and find out more details. This our tax-payers money, and it must be held accountable.

GMA Network Inc. filed a suit yesterday afternoon, December 3 at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court against TV5, Malaysian company Media Prima Berhad (MPB) and MPB Primedia for entering into an unlawful blocktime agreement.

Here is GMA Network’s official statement in full:

“GMA Network, Citynet, and ZOE Broadcasting have filed a lawsuit against ABC-5, Malaysian company Media Prima Berhad (MPB), and MPB Primedia for allegedly entering into an unlawful blocktime agreement.

GMA Network is asking the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to nullify the blocktime agreement between MPB Primedia and ABC-5 as the agreement violated the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which restricts ownership and management of mass media to Filipino citizens or corporations.

The said blocktime agreement allowed MPB Primedia to control and manage ABC-5’s programming content and airtime sales.

GMA Network said that while MPB Primedia’s Articles of Incorporation indicates that it is Filipino-owned, it is in truth a subsidiary of Malaysian company Media Prima Berhad. The Verification or Reservation Request of Primedia on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicates that the acronym ‘MPB’ in its corporate name stands for ‘Media Prima Berhad’ which is the same name of the Malaysian company.

This was later confirmed when MPB stated in its own website that it ‘has set up a subsidiary, MPB Primedia, Inc. that will soon enter into a blocktime agreement with the ABC5 network, one of the television networks in the Philippines.”

GMA also said that according to the report of Merril Lynch of Singapore on March 25, 2008, the acquisition of ABC-5’s airtime forms part of the investment strategy of the Malaysian corporation, Media Prima Berhad, to establish a company in the Philippines, which will be owned by MPB at seventy percent. This Philippine company was identified in the report as Primedia.

MPB Primedia has an authorized capital stock of P5,600,000. Twenty-five percent (25 percent) of Primedia’s authorized capital stock was subscribed by its incorporators and directors. Out of the 25 percent subscribed capital, only P350,150 has been paid.

The transfer of control and management of ABC-5’s programming content and airtime sales to MPB Primedia constitutes intervention by a foreign company and/or its dummy in the management and/or operation of a 100 percent nationalized business activity which violates the Constitution and the Anti-Dummy law.

As mandated by the Constitution, mass media, which includes television and radio broadcast, is a completely nationalized business activity. The Anti-Dummy Law (Commonwealth Act No. 108, as amended) punishes the evasion of nationalization laws and prohibits non-Filipino citizens from intervening in the management, operation, administration, or control of any nationalized activity.

It being contrary to the Constitution and the Anti-Dummy law, GMA Network said that the blocktime agreement entered into between ABC-5 and MPB Primedia is void.

GMA Network likewise said that the blocktime agreement between ABC-5 and MPB Primedia results in unfair competition against local broadcasting networks. GMA said that while it continues its operations within the bounds of law, ABC-5, MPB and Primedia employed illegal methods to evade restrictions on mass media ownership, which have deprived GMA and other local networks of the fair chance to engage in the broadcast business.

Since its re-launch in 2008, TV5 has ascended to the number three post in TV ratings.

Apart from asking the court to declare the blocktime agreement between ABC-5 and MPB Primedia null and void, GMA Network is also claiming a total of P11 million for damages, including attorney’s fees and litigation expenses, from ABC-5, MPB, and MPB Primedia to compensate for the loss of revenues due to unfair competition.”